Portable information processing apparatus and liquid crystal display device

ABSTRACT

A portable wordprocessor has a main body and a display support assembly hinged to the main body. The main body has an information entry keyboard, a function keyboard, a control circuit board and a floppy disk drive. The information entry keyboard and the function keyboard have key tops the heights of which do not exceed the height of the portion of the main body which accommodates the floppy disk drive. The information entry keyboard is disposed along the front edge of the main body, while the function keyboard is disposed between the information entry keyboard and the rear edge of the main body. The floppy disk drive is disposed in lateral alignment with the function keyboard. The display support assembly supports a liquid crystal display device which includes a liquid crystal display portion and a liquid crystal control circuit board which is disposed around the liquid crystal display portion and has a thickness which does not exceed the thickness of the liquid crystal display portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a portable information processingapparatus such as a book-type wordprocessor or personal computer and,more particularly, to a portable information processing apparatus havingreduced thickness and weight for greater portability.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Portable information processing apparatus such as portablewordprocessors and portable personal computers are finding remarkablyspreading use in recent years. An example of such an informationprocessing apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility ModelPublication No. 61-160526. This apparatus has a main body which includesa keyboard as an input device, a control circuit board, an externalstorage driving device such as a floppy disk drive, an internal powersupply, and so forth, and a cover, i.e., a display support assembly,which is hinged to the main part and supports a liquid crystal displaydevice.

In this known apparatus, the main body is composed of a lower part andan upper part. The disk drive device is disposed in the upper part andthe key tops of the keyboard project upwardly from the upper part. Inorder to protect the liquid crystal display surface, the apparatus isdesigned such that, when the apparatus is not used, the cover is swungto a close position where display surface opposes the main body leavinga predetermined gap therebetween. Consequently, this design undesirablyincreases the overall height or thickness of the apparatus. In addition,the display support assembly which forms the cover essentially has alarge thickness because it contains a liquid crystal display unitincluding a liquid crystal display glass sheet, light guide plate,liquid crystal control circuit board and other components, as well as ametal frame encasing these components. Consequently, the whole apparatusincluding the tall main body and the thick display support assemblysuperposed thereto inevitably has a large thickness and, therefore, isnot easy to carry and transport. The large overall height of theapparatus also impairs operability of the apparatus when the latter isused on a desk.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a portableinformation processing apparatus having a main body of a reducedthickness.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portableinformation processing apparatus in which the heights of the key tops ofthe keyboard means provided on the main body do not exceed the height ofthe portion of the main body which accommodates an external storagedriving device.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a portableinformation processing apparatus having a liquid crystal display deviceof a reduced thickness.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a portableinformation processing apparatus including a main body of a reducedthickness and a display support assembly of a reduced thickness.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a liquidcrystal display device of a reduced thickness.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided aportable information processing apparatus comprising a main bodysupporting keyboard means, a control circuit board for controlling thewhole apparatus and drive means for driving an external storage means;and display support means pivotally connected to the main body andsupporting liquid crystal display means. The main body includes a lowerpart having a bottom wall and an upper part having a top wall. The drivemeans is interposed between the bottom wall and the top wall. Theportion of the top wall covering the drive means has a first height. Thecontrol circuit board is disposed between the bottom wall and thekeyboard means. The stack of the bottom wall, the control circuit boardand the key board has a height substantially the same as the firstheight.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided aportable information processing apparatus comprising a main body havingupper and lower parts; an information entry keyboard secured to thelower part of the main body and having a plurality of keys for inputtingmainly character information; a function keyboard secured to the upperpart of the main body and having a plurality of function keys; a controlcircuit board for controlling the whole apparatus, the control circuitboard being carried by the lower part of the main body at a positionunder the information entry keyboard and the function keyboard; powersupply circuit means provided on the control circuit board; drive meansfor driving external storage means for storing information input throughoperation of the information entry keyboard, the drive means beingsecured to the upper part of the main body; liquid crystal display meansfor displaying data input through operation of the information entrykeyboard or information stored in the storage means; and display supportmeans supporting the liquid crystal display means and pivotallyconnected to the main part. The information entry keyboard is disposedalong the front edge of the main body. The function keyboard is disposedbetween the information entry keyboard and the rear edge of the mainbody. The drive means is disposed in lateral alignment with the functionkeyboard.

According to still another aspect of the invention, there is provided aportable information processing apparatus comprising a main bodysupporting a control circuit board and drive means for driving anexternal storage means; keyboard means secured to the main body; displaysupport means pivotally connected to the main body; and a liquid crystaldisplay means supported by said display support means and including aliquid crystal display portion and a liquid crystal control circuitboard means. The liquid crystal control circuit board means is disposedadjacent to the peripheral edge of the liquid crystal display portionand has a thickness which does not exceed the thickness of the liquidcrystal display portion.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided aliquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal displayportion; a light guide plate disposed behind and adjacent to the rearside of the liquid crystal display portion; a cold cathode ray tube forapplying light to the light guide plate; an inverter circuit board forcontrolling the cold cathode ray tube; and liquid crystal controlcircuit board means. The cold cathode ray tube, the inverter circuitboard and the liquid crystal control circuit board means are disposedadjacent to the periphery of the liquid crystal display portion aresubstantially in the same plane as the liquid crystal display portion.Each of the cold cathode ray tube, the inverter circuit board and theliquid crystal control circuit board means has a thickness which doesnot exceed the thickness of the stack of the liquid crystal displayportion and the light guide plate.

According to a still further aspect of the invention, there is provideda portable information processing apparatus comprising a main bodyhaving upper and lower parts; an information entry keyboard mounted onthe lower part of the main body and having a plurality of keys forinputting mainly character information; a function keyboard secured tothe upper part of the main body and having a plurality of function keys;a control circuit board for controlling the whole apparatus, the controlcircuit board being carried by the lower part of the main body at aposition under the information entry keyboard and the function keyboard;power supply circuit means provided on the control circuit board; drivemeans for driving external storage means for storing information inputthrough operation of the information entry keyboard, the drive meansbeing mounted on to the lower part of the main part; liquid crystaldisplay means for displaying either the data input through operation ofthe information entry keyboard or information stored in the externalstorage means; and display support means supporting the liquid crystaldisplay means and pivotally connected to the main body. The informationentry keyboard is disposed along the front edge of the main body. Thefunction keyboard is disposed between the information entry keyboard andthe rear edge of the main body. The drive means is disposed in lateralalignment with the function keyboard. The liquid crystal display meansincludes a liquid crystal display portion and a liquid crystal controlcircuit board means. The liquid crystal control circuit board means isdisposed adjacent to the periphery of the liquid crystal display portionand has a thickness which does not exceed the thickness of the liquidcrystal display portion.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be made more apparent by the following description withreference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lap-top type wordprocessor in a stateready for use;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the internal structure of a main bodyof the wordprocessor shown in FIG. 1, illustrating the layout of variouscomponents in the main body;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the main body with an upper part of themain body removed to illustrate mainly the layout of the keyboard;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the wordprocessortake substantially along the line IV--IV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 4A is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the wordprocessortaken substantially along the line IVA--IVA in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a function keyboard;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the wordprocessor in the state foruse, with a part of a liquid crystal display device removed;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the liquid crystal display device;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the liquid crystaldisplay device taken along a line IIX--IIX in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the liquid crystal displaydevice taken along the line IX--IX in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the liquid crystal displaydevice showing components of the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, a book-type wordprocessor embodying the presentinvention has a main body A which has a tabular rectangular form, and acover B which is pivotally secured to the rear edge of the main body Aby means of a hinge mechanism 17. The main body A has a lower part 6 andan upper part 7 which are both formed of a plastic material. The lowerand upper parts 6 and 7 are coupled to each other by means of screws(not shown) in such a manner as to define an internal spacetherebetween. The cover B is constructed as a display support assemblywhich supports a liquid crystal display device 2 to be described laterin detail. The assembly has a generally flat support plate 3 and awindow frame 4 fixed to the support plate 3. The liquid crystal displaydevice 2 has a display surface which is exposed through a window, i.e.,an opening 4', defined by the window frame 4. After use of thewordprocessor, the cover B is swung from the open position shown inFIGS. 1 and 6 to a close position where the liquid crystal displaydevice 2 is held close to the upper surface of the main body A. When thecover B is in the close position, the liquid crystal display device 2 isprotected by the support plate 3.

Three rectangular openings 7a, 7b and 7c are formed in the top wall 7'of the upper part 7 of the main body A. More specifically, the first andsecond openings 7a and 7b are disposed side by side along the front edgeof the upper part 7, while the third opening 7c is disposed at aposition which is close to the left edge of the upper part 7 anddisposed between the opening 7a and the rear edge of the upper part 7.An information entry keyboard 1 has numerous keys which are used mainlyfor inputting character information and which are disposed in the firstand second openings 7a and 7b. A function keyboard 8 having a pluralityof function keys is disposed in the third opening 7c. For a reason whichwill be described later, a disk drive 5 serving as an external storagedriving means for driving an external storage medium such as a floppydisk is disposed in the main body A, i.e., in the space between thelower and upper parts 6 and 7, at a position between the functionkeyboard 8 and the right edge of the main body A.

In general, the operability, i.e., ease of manipulation, of the keysused in information processing apparatus such as a wordprocessor dependson the operation stroke (depth to which the key can be pushed down).More specifically, for ease of manipulation, each key preferably has acertain key stroke. In the illustrated embodiment of the presentinvention, therefore, the design is such that the keys of theinformation entry keyboard 1, which are operated more frequently thanthe function keys, have optimum key strokes and are arranged along thefront edge of the main body A, whereas the function keys of the functionkeyboard 8 which are used less frequently than the keys of theinformation entry keys have smaller key strokes, as will be describedlater and are arranged at positions rearwardly spaced from the frontedge of the main body A. This arrangement is effective to reduce thebreadthwise dimension of the main body A, i.e., the length of the frontedge.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4A, a single control circuit board 9 which is ofa unitary structure and controls the whole apparatus is disposed in themain body A at a position beneath the information entry keyboard 1 andthe function keyboard 8 and extends in parallel with the bottom wall 6'of the lower part 6 of the main body A, as will be best seen from FIG.4. The control circuit board 9 carries thereon a control circuit unit 10which is composed of parts having a comparatively small mounting heighth and which is disposed beneath the information entry keyboard 1. Apower supply circuit unit 11 which essentially has parts of acomparatively large mounting height H is disposed rearwardly of thefunction keyboard 8 and is mounted on the control circuit board 9.

The control circuit board 9 also has mounted thereon connectors 12 forthe information entry keyboard 1 and the function keyboard 8. Theseconnectors 12 are disposed under the function keyboard 8. A printerconnector 13 for connection to a printer and an option connector 14 forcommunication function are connected to the control circuit board 9 anddisposed rearwardly of the function keyboard 8. The connector 12 has aheight which is intermediate between the height H of the power supplycircuit unit 11 and the height h of the control circuit unit 10.

Referring particularly to FIG. 2, the control circuit board 9 isprovided with a card receiver 15 which is adjacent to a corner betweenthe front edge and the right edge of the main body A and which isadapted to detachably receive an information carrier such as an IC card.A battery 16 is disposed in the main body at a position adjacent to thefront edge of the main body A and is used as an internal power supplywhen an AC adapter is not used.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the function keyboard 8 is designed to havea thin-walled structure unlike the information entry keyboard 1 sincethe connectors 12 having greater height than the height h of the controlcircuit 10 is disposed under this keyboard 8. More specifically, thefunction keyboard 8 has a frame 18 of a plastic material which is to besecured to the upper part 7 of the main body A and a plurality ofvertically movable key tops 19 disposed inside the frame. These key tops19 are integrally molded from a plastic material and are connectedtogether through thin webs, as well known to those skilled in the art.An inversion spring 20 of a spring material such as phosphor bronze isdisposed under each key top 19. A membrane switch 21 is disposed beneaththe spring 20 and is supported by a support plate 22. The support plate22 has small apertures formed therein along the peripheral edgesthereof. Projections 23 formed on the bottom surface of the frame 18 areinserted into the apertures and thermally deformed so as to fix theframe 18 to the support plate 22, thus realizing a thin-walled structurefor the function keyboard 8. The key tops 19 and the inversion springs20 are not essential. Namely, the function keyboard 8 may have such aconstruction that the membrane switches 21 are directly manipulated byoperator's fingers.

The disk drive 5 is the component which has the greatest height(thickness) among the components encased in the main body A. The diskdrive 5, therefore, is placed between the bottom wall 6' of the lowerpart 6 and the top wall 7' of the upper part 7 of the main body Awithout any intermediary between the disk drive 5 and the walls 6' and7'. The heights of the tracks of the components are so determined thatthe top of the information entry keyboard 1 and the top of the functionkeyboard 8 are substantially flush with the level of the top wall 7' ofthe position of the upper part 7 where the disk drive 5 is disposed. Toobtain such an arrangement, the height of the stack composed of thebottom wall 6' of the lower part 6 of the main body A, the controlcircuit board 9, the control circuit unit 10 and the information entrykeyboard 1 is substantially the same as that of the stack composed ofthe bottom wall 6', the disk drive 5 and the top wall 7' of the upperpart 7 of the main body A. Similarly, the height of the stack composedof the bottom wall 6' of the lower part 6, the control circuit board 9,the connectors 12 and the function keyboard 8 is substantially the sameas that of the stack composed of the bottom wall 6', the disk drive 5and the top wall 7' of the upper part 7 of the main body A. Furthermore,the height of the stack composed of the bottom wall 6' of the lower part6, the internal battery 16 and the information entry keyboard 1 issubstantially the same as that of the stack composed of the bottom wall6', the disk drive 5 and the top wall 7' of the upper part 7 of the mainbody A. In addition, the height of the stack composed of the top andbottom walls 7' and 6' of the upper and lower parts 7 and 6, the controlcircuit board 9 and the power supply circuit unit 11 is substantiallythe same as the height of the stack composed of the top and bottom walls7' and 6' of the upper and lower parts 7, 6 of the main body and thedisk drive 5.

By virtue of the two- and three-dimensional arrangements of thecomponents described above, the main body A has reduced two- andthree-dimensional sizes.

A description will now be made of the cover B. i.e., the display supportassembly B, with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10.

As shown in FIG. 7, the liquid crystal display device 2 supported by thesupport plate 3 and the window frame 4 has a liquid crystal displayportion 24 which is exposed through the opening 4' defined by the windowframe 4. The liquid crystal display portion 24 has an outer LCD glasssheet 25 and an inner LCD glass sheet 26 which are superposed leaving acavity therebetween. This cavity is filled with a liquid crystal (notshown) in a manner known per se, with the peripheral edge of the gapbeing sealed to confine the liquid crystal therein. An outer deflectionplate 25A and an inner deflection plate 26A are bonded to the surfacesof the LCD glass sheets as known to those skilled in the art.

In order to realize a thin-walled construction of the liquid crystaldisplay device, a common circuit board 28 and segment circuit boards 29,each carrying COBs (Chips-on-board), are disposed in the regions betweenthe support plate 3 and the window frame 4 so as to surround the liquidcrystal display portion 24. These circuit boards 28 and 29 are connectedto the electrodes of the LCD glass sheets by heat-seal technique. Aliquid crystal control circuit board 30 for controlling the circuitboards 28 and 29 is disposed adjacent to one side edge of the liquidcrystal display portion 24 so as to extend substantially in the sameplane as the LCD glasses 25 and 26. The common circuit board 28 and thesegment circuit boards 29 are electrically connected to the liquidcrystal control circuit board 30 through flexible harnesses 31.

Referring specifically to FIG. 9, a light guide plate 32 made of, forexample, an acrylic resin is disposed between the inner LCD glass sheet26 and the support plate 3 so as to oppose the entire area of the LCDglass sheet 26. A cold cathode ray tube 33 as light source is arrangedalong one side edge of the light guide plate 32. Light from the coldcathode ray tube 33 is uniformly guided to the entire area of the liquidcrystal display portion 24 through the light guide plate 32. An invertercircuit board 34 for energizing the cathode ray tube 33 is disposedsubstantially in the same plane as the liquid crystal control circuitboard 30 in a side-by-side fashion therewith and is electricallyconnected through a flexible cable 35 to the control circuit board 9mounted in the main body A so as to be supplied with electrical powerfrom the circuit board 9.

An LCD frame made of a plastic material and having a rectangular openingis disposed between the support plate 3 and the window frame 4. Theliquid crystal display portion 24, the common circuit board 28, thesegment circuit boards 29, the liquid crystal control circuit board 30and the inverter circuit board 34 are secured to this LCD frame 36 so asto occupy substantially the same plane. In order to realize such astructure, a recess 38 is formed in the inner peripheral edge surface36A of the LCD frame 36 so as to open towards the liquid crystal displayportion 24, while a mating projection 37 is formed on the outerperipheral edge of the light guide plate 32 adjacent the liquid crystaldisplay portion 24. The light guide plate 32 is mounted on the LCD frame36 with its projection 37 fitting in the recess 38 in the LCD frame 36.The inner LCD glass sheet 26 of the liquid crystal display portion 24has an outer edge portion which projects beyond the outer peripheraledge of the outer LCD glass sheet 25. Rubber cushioning members 39 aresecured to both surfaces of the outer edge portion of the LCD glasssheet 26. A pair of clamps 40 made of a metal are fixed to the LCD frame36. The clamps 40 have inner peripheral edge portions which press theouter peripheral edge portions of the inner LCD glass sheet 26 againstthe LCD frame 36 to fix the inner LCD glass sheet 26 thereto.

Thus, the liquid crystal display device 2 has a thickness which is equalto the thickness of the stack of the LCD glass sheets 25 and 26 and thelight guide plate 32, such stack thickness being the minimum thicknessrequired for a liquid crystal display device of the type described. Thecover B, i.e., the display support assembly, can thus have minimizedthickness, with the liquid crystal display device 2 of the minimalthickness clamped between the support plate 3 and the window frame 4.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the presentinvention provides a portable information processing apparatus, e.g., awordprocessor, having a main body A and a cover or display supportassembly B both having remarkably reduced thicknesses. Consequently, thethickness and weight of the whole information processing apparatus areremarkably reduced to facilitate transportation and use of theapparatus.

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable information processing apparatus,comprising:a main body supporting keyboard means, a control circuitboard for controlling said apparatus and drive means for driving anexternal storage means; and display support means pivotally connected tosaid main body and supporting liquid crystal display means; said mainbody including a lower part having a bottom wall and an upper parthaving a top wall, said drive means being interposed between said bottomwall and said top wall; said control circuit board being disposedbetween said bottom wall and said keyboard means so that said controlcircuit board does not substantially overlap with said drive means,wherein said keyboard means includes an information entry keyboard, andwherein control circuit means is disposed between said information entrykeyboard and said control circuit board, and a stack of said bottomwall, and said control circuit board, said control circuit means andsaid information entry keyboard has a height substantially the same as aheight of a portion of said top wall covering said drive device.
 2. Aportable information processing apparatus comprising:a main bodysupporting keyboard means, a control circuit board for controlling saidapparatus and drive means for driving an external storage means; anddisplay support means pivotally connected to said main body andsupporting liquid crystal display means; said main body including alower part having a bottom wall and an upper part having a top wall,said drive means being interposed between said bottom wall and said topwall; said control circuit board being disposed between said bottom walland said keyboard means so that said control circuit board does notsubstantially overlap with said drive means, power supply circuit meansdisposed between said control circuit board and said top wall; saidkeyboard means including a function keyboard, and connector meansdisposed between said function keyboard and said control circuit boardfor providing electrical connection between said keyboard and said powersupply circuit means, a stack of said bottom wall, said control circuitboard, said connector means and said function keyboard having a heightwhich is substantially the same as a height of a portion of said topwall coveting said drive device.
 3. A portable information processingapparatus according to claim 2, wherein said function keyboard includesa membrane switch member.
 4. A portable information processingapparatus, comprising:a main body supporting keyboard means, a controlcircuit board for controlling said apparatus and drive means for drivingan external storage means; and display support means pivotally connectedto said main body and supporting liquid crystal display means; said mainbody including a lower part having a bottom wall and an upper parthaving a top wall, said drive means being interposed between said bottomwall and said top wall; said control circuit board being disposedbetween said bottom wall and said keyboard means so that said controlcircuit board does not substantially overlap with said drive means,wherein said keyboard means includes an information entry keyboard, saidapparatus further comprising: control circuit means disposed between apart of said information entry keyboard and said control circuit board,and an internal battery disposed between another part of saidinformation entry keyboard and said bottom wall, a stack of said bottomwall, said internal battery and said another part of said informationentry keyboard having a height which is substantially the same as aheight of a portion of said top wall coveting said drive device.
 5. Aportable information processing apparatus, comprising:a main bodysupporting keyboard means, a control circuit board for controlling saidapparatus and drive means for driving an external storage means; anddisplay support means pivotally connected to said main body andsupporting liquid crystal display means; said main body including alower part having a bottom wall and an upper part having a top wall,said drive means being interposed between said bottom wall and said topwall; said control circuit board being disposed between said bottom walland said keyboard means so that said control circuit board does notsubstantially overlap with said drive means, wherein said controlcircuit board has a portion interposed between said bottom wall and saidtop wall, said apparatus further comprising power supply circuit meansdisposed between said portion of said control circuit board and said topwall, a stack of said bottom wall, said top wall, said control circuitboard and said power supply circuit means having a height which issubstantially the same as a height of a portion of said top wallcovering said drive device.
 6. A portable information processingapparatus, comprising:a main body; an information entry keyboard mountedon said main body and having a plurality of keys for inputting mainlycharacter information; a function keyboard secured to said main body andhaving a plurality of function keys; a control circuit board forcontrolling said apparatus, said control circuit board being carded bysaid main body at a position under said information entry keyboard andsaid function keyboard: power supply circuit means provided on a circuitboard; drive means for driving external storage means for storinginformation input through operation of said information entry keyboard,said drive means being secured to said main body; liquid crystal displaymeans for displaying one of data input through operation of saidinformation entry keyboard and information stored in said externalstorage means; and display support means supporting said liquid crystaldisplay means and pivotally connected to said main body; wherein saidinformation entry keyboard is disposed along a front edge of said mainbody, said function keyboard is disposed between said information entrykeyboard and a rear edge of said main body, and said drive means isdisposed in lateral alignment with said function keyboard; wherein saidfunction keys of said function keyboard have key strokes smaller thanthose of said keys of said information entry keyboard, said apparatusfurther comprising: connector means for connecting at least one of saidinformation entry keyboard and said function keyboard to said powersupply circuit means, said connector means being disposed under saidfunction keyboard and secured to said control circuit board.
 7. Aportable information processing apparatus according to claim 6, furthercomprising control circuit means disposed between said information entrykeyboard and said control circuit board, a stack of the bottom wall ofsaid lower part, said control circuit board, said control circuit meansand said information entry keyboard having a height substantially thesame as the height of the top wall of the portion of said upper partaccommodating said drive means.
 8. A portable information processingapparatus, comprising:a main body; an information entry keyboard mountedon said main body and having a plurality of keys for inputting mainlycharacter information; a function keyboard secured to said main body andhaving a plurality of function keys; a control circuit board forcontrolling said apparatus, said control circuit board being carried bysaid main body at a position under said information entry keyboard andsaid function keyboard; power supply circuit means provided on a circuitboard; drive means for driving external storage means for storinginformation input through operation of said information entry keyboard,said drive means being secured to said main body; liquid crystal displaymeans for displaying one of data input through operation of saidinformation entry keyboard and information stored in said externalstorage means; and display support means supporting said liquid crystaldisplay means and pivotally connected to said main body; wherein saidinformation entry keyboard is disposed along a front edge of said mainbody, said function keyboard is disposed between said information entrykeyboard and a rear edge of said main body, and said drive means isdisposed in lateral alignment with said function keyboard; furthercomprising connector means for connecting at least one of saidinformation entry keyboard and said function keyboard to said powersupply circuit means, a stack of said bottom wall, said control circuitboard, said connector means and said function keyboard having a heightsubstantially the same as the height of the top wall of the portion ofsaid upper part accommodating said drive means.
 9. A back-light typeportable information processing apparatus comprising:a main bodysupporting a control circuit board and drive means for driving anexternal storage means; keyboard means secured to said main body;display support means pivotally connected to said main body; and liquidcrystal display means supported by said display support means andincluding a liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal controlcircuit board means supporting at least one chip; wherein said liquidcrystal control circuit board means is disposed adjacent to andoutwardly of the peripheral edge of said liquid crystal display paneland such that a height of a top face of said chip does not exceed aheight of a top face of said liquid crystal display panel, and whereinsaid liquid crystal control circuit board means includes a commoncircuit board and a segment circuit board.
 10. A portable informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said liquid crystaldisplay means further includes a light guide plate disposed behind saidliquid crystal display portion, a light source disposed adjacent to aperipheral edge of said liquid crystal display portion for applyinglight to said light guide plate, and an inverter circuit board forcontrolling said light source, said light source and said invertercircuit board being disposed substantially in the same plane as saidliquid crystal display portion and thus said liquid crystal controlcircuit board means.
 11. A portable information processing apparatusaccording to claim 10, wherein each of said light source and saidinverter circuit board has a thickness which does not exceed thethickness of a stack of said liquid crystal display portion and saidlight guide plate.
 12. A portable information processing apparatusaccording to claim 10, wherein said liquid crystal display portionincludes at least one LCD glass sheet which is disposed adjacent to andin parallel with said light guide plate, said light guide plate and saidLCD glass sheet being clamped at their peripheral edges by an LCD frame,said liquid crystal control circuit board means being disposed on saidLCD frame.
 13. A portable information processing apparatus according toclaim 12, wherein said display support means includes a support plateand a window frame fixed to said support plate, said LCD frame beingdisposed between said support plate and said window frame andelastically secured to said support plate.
 14. A portable informationprocessing apparatus comprising:a main body; an information entrykeyboard mounted on said main body and having a plurality of keys forinputting mainly character information; a function keyboard secured tosaid main body and having a plurality of function keys; a controlcircuit board for controlling the whole apparatus, said control circuitboard being carried by said main body at a position under saidinformation entry keyboard and said function keyboard; power supplycircuit means provided on a circuit board; drive means for drivingexternal storage means for storing information input through operationof said information entry keyboard, said drive means being mounted onsaid main body; liquid crystal display means for displaying one of datainput through operation of said information entry keyboard andinformation stored in said external storage means; and display supportmeans supporting said liquid crystal display means and pivotallyconnected to said main body; said information entry keyboard beingdisposed along a front edge of said main body, said function keyboardbeing disposed between said information entry keyboard and a rear edgeof said main body, and said drive means being disposed in lateralalignment with said function keyboard; said liquid crystal display meansincluding a liquid crystal display portion and a liquid crystal controlcircuit board means, said liquid crystal control circuit board meansbeing disposed adjacent to a periphery of said liquid crystal displayportion and having a thickness which does not exceed a thickness of saidliquid crystal display portion.
 15. A portable information processingapparatus comprising:a main body supporting keyboard means, a controlcircuit board for controlling said apparatus and drive means for drivingan external storage means; and display support means pivotally connectedto said main body and supporting liquid crystal display means; said mainbody including a lower part having a bottom wall and an upper parthaving a top wall, said drive means being interposed between said bottomwall and said top wall, a portion of said top wall covering said drivemeans having a first height; said control circuit board being disposedbetween said bottom wall and said keyboard means, a stack of said bottomwall, said control circuit board and said keyboard means having a heightsubstantially the same as said first height; said liquid crystal displaymeans including a liquid crystal display portion and liquid crystalcontrol circuit board means; and said liquid crystal control circuitboard means being disposed adjacent a peripheral edge of said liquidcrystal display portion and having a thickness which does not exceed thethickness of said liquid crystal display portion.
 16. A portableinformation processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein saiddrive means is mounted on said bottom wall of said main body lower partand said control circuit board is so shaped and sized as to allow saiddrive means to be disposed between said bottom and top walls of saidmain body and mounted on said bottom wall.
 17. A portable informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said liquid crystalcontrol circuit board means is disposed in substantially the same planeas said liquid crystal display portion, said liquid crystal controlcircuit board means includes a liquid crystal control circuit board, acommon circuit board and segment circuit boards, and said liquid crystalcontrol circuit board, said common circuit board and said segmentcircuit boards are arranged around said liquid crystal display portionand are electrically connected to one another through flexible cables.18. A portable information processing apparatus comprising:a main bodysupporting keyboard means, a control circuit board for controlling thewhole apparatus and drive means for driving an external storage means;display support means pivotally connected to said main body; and liquidcrystal display means supported by said display support means; said mainbody including a lower part having a bottom wall and an upper parthaving a top wall, said drive means being interposed between said bottomwall and said top wall; said control circuit board being disposedbetween said bottom wall and said keyboard means; said liquid crystaldisplay means including a liquid crystal display portion, a light guideplate disposed behind and adjacent to a rear side of said liquid crystaldisplay portion, a cold cathode ray tube for applying light to saidlight guide plate, an inverter circuit for controlling said cold cathoderay tube, and liquid crystal control circuit board means; said coldcathode ray tube, said inverter circuit board and said liquid crystalcontrol circuit board means being disposed adjacent to a periphery ofsaid liquid crystal display portion and substantially in the same planeas said liquid crystal display portion; and each of said cold cathoderay tube, said inverter circuit board and said liquid crystal controlcircuit board means having a thickness which does not exceed a thicknessof a stack of said liquid crystal display portion and said light guideplate.
 19. A portable information processing apparatus according toclaim 18, wherein said drive means is mounted on at least one of saidbottom wall and said main body lower part and said control circuit boardis so shaped and sized as to allow said drive means to be disposedbetween said bottom and top walls of said main body and mounted on saidbottom wall.
 20. A portable information processing apparatuscomprising:a main body supporting keyboard means, a control circuitboard for controlling the whole apparatus and drive means for driving anexternal storage means; and display support means pivotally connected tosaid main body and supporting liquid crystal display means; said mainbody including a lower part having a bottom wall and an upper parthaving a top wall, said drive means being interposed between said bottomwall and said top wall; said control circuit board being disposedbetween said bottom wall and said keyboard means; said liquid crystaldisplay means including a liquid crystal display portion and liquidcrystal control circuit board means; and said liquid crystal controlcircuit board means being disposed adjacent a peripheral edge of saidliquid crystal display portion and having a thickness which does notexceed the thickness of said liquid crystal display portion.
 21. Aportable information processing apparatus comprising:a main bodysupporting keyboard means, a control circuit board and drive means fordriving an external storage means; and a display support pivotallymounted on said main body and supporting liquid crystal display meansincluding a liquid crystal display portion having a display surface andliquid crystal control circuit board means; said main body including alower part having a bottom wall and an upper part having a top wall,said drive means being interposed between said bottom wall and said topwall; said display support being pivotally movable between a firstposition in which said display surface is positioned close to anddirected toward said keyboard means and said top wall, and a secondposition in which said display surface is positioned angularly remotefrom said keyboard means and said top wall; said control circuit boardcarrying thereon a control circuit unit of a first height and a powersupply unit of a second height greater than said first height; saidcircuit board being disposed in said main body and extending insubstantially parallel relationship to said bottom wall of said mainbody lower part so that said circuit board does not substantiallyoverlap with said drive means; said control circuit unit and said powersupply unit being disposed in different areas of said control circuitboard.
 22. A portable information processing apparatus according toclaim 21,wherein said keyboard means includes an information entrykeyboard disposed along a front edge of said main body and having aplurality of information entry keys and a function keyboard separatedfrom said information keyboard and having a plurality of function keys,each of said information entry keys having a key stroke greater than akey stroke of each of said function keys, wherein said control circuitboard further has mounted thereon a connector for said information entrykeyboard and said function keyboard, said connector having a thirdheight between said first and second heights, wherein said informationentry keys and said function keys having key tops disposed substantiallyin the same plane as said top wall of said main body, and wherein saidcontrol circuit unit is disposed between said information entry keyboardand said control circuit board, said connector is disposed between saidfunction keyboard and said control circuit board, and said power supplyunit is disposed between said top wall and said control circuit board.23. A portable information processing apparatus according to claim 22,wherein said function keyboard is disposed rearwardly of saidinformation entry keyboard and said drive means is disposedsubstantially in lateral alignment with said function keyboard.
 24. Aback-light type portable information processing apparatus comprising:amain body supporting a control circuit board and drive means for drivingan external storage means; keyboard means secured to said main body;display support means pivotally connected to said main body; and liquidcrystal display means supported by said display support means andincluding a liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal controlcircuit board means; wherein said liquid crystal control circuit boardmeans includes electrical elements for controlling said liquid crystaldisplay panel and a circuit board supporting said electrical elements,and wherein said electrical elements and said circuit board are disposedadjacent to, and outwardly of, the peripheral edge of said liquidcrystal display panel and do not exceed the top face of said liquidcrystal display panel.
 25. A portable information processing apparatuscomprising:a keyboard member supporting keys for inputting information;a casing member supporting said keyboard member and accommodating acontrol circuit board for controlling the apparatus and a drivingmechanism for driving an external storage memory, said casing memberhaving a bottom wall, said keyboard member having a top wall; a flattype display device having a liquid crystal display panel and pivotallyconnected to said keyboard member; a light guide plate disposed on aback face of said liquid crystal display panel to guide light toward afront face of said liquid crystal display panel; and a light sourcedisposed adjacent to said light guide plate; and a display panel controlcircuit board means disposed adjacent to, and outwardly of, theperipheral edge of said liquid crystal display panel, wherein saiddisplay panel control circuit board means is provided with integratedcircuit elements having top faces not higher in height than said frontface of said liquid crystal display panel.
 26. The portable informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said display panelcontrol circuit board means comprises a common circuit board for commonelectrodes of said liquid crystal display panel and a segment circuitboard for driving electrodes of said liquid crystal display panel. 27.The portable information processing apparatus according to claim 25,wherein said display panel control circuit board means comprises aliquid crystal control circuit board, a common circuit board for commonelectrodes and a segment circuit board for driving electrodes of saidliquid crystal display panel.
 28. A portable information processingapparatus comprising:a main body supporting keyboard means, a controlcircuit board for controlling said apparatus and drive means for drivingan external storage means; and display support means pivotally connectedto said main body and supporting liquid crystal display means; said mainbody including a lower part having a bottom wall and an upper parthaving top wall, said drive means being interposed between said bottomwall and said top wall; said control circuit board being disposedbetween said bottom wall and said keyboard means so that said controlcircuit board does not substantially overlap with said drive means, aportion of said top wall which does not overlap with said drive meanshaving a first height,a stack of said bottom wall, said control circuitboard and said keyboard means having a height substantially the same assaid first height.
 29. A back-light type portable information processingapparatus comprising:a main body supporting a control circuit board anddrive means for driving an external storage means; keyboard meanssecured to said main body; display support means pivotally connected tosaid main body; and liquid crystal display means supported by saiddisplay support means and including a liquid crystal display portion andliquid crystal control circuit board means supporting at least one chip;wherein said liquid crystal control circuit board means is disposedadjacent to, and outwardly of, the peripheral edge of said liquidcrystal display portion such that a top face of said chip does notexceed the top face of said liquid crystal display portion, and whereinsaid liquid crystal control circuit board means includes a liquidcrystal control circuit board, a common circuit board and a segmentcircuit board, and said liquid crystal control circuit board, saidcommon circuit board and said segment circuit board are arranged aroundsaid liquid crystal display portion within a space defined between outerextensions of two major surfaces of said liquid crystal display portionand are electrically connected to one another through flexible cables.30. A back-light type portable information processing apparatuscomprising:a main body supporting a control circuit board and drivemeans for driving an external storage means; keyboard means secured tosaid main body; display support means pivotally connected to said mainbody; and liquid crystal display means supported by said display supportmeans and including a liquid crystal display portion and liquid crystalcontrol circuit board means; wherein said liquid crystal control circuitboard means includes electrical elements for controlling said liquidcrystal display portion and a structural member supporting saidelectrical elements, wherein said electrical elements and saidstructural member are disposed adjacent to, and outwardly of, theperipheral edge of said liquid crystal display portion and have a totalthickness which does not exceed the thickness of said liquid crystaldisplay portion, and wherein said total thickness of said electricalelements and said structural member does not extend beyond outerextensions of two major surfaces of said liquid crystal display portion.